One of the first things that comes into mind when people think about migrating to Australia is the published skilled occupation lists by the government.
The Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) and other skilled work visa pathways are highly popular amongst new settlers in Australia.
What if your occupation isn’t on those lists or you don’t have many years of formal skilled work experience yet?
Do not panic, there are still options for you to become an Australian resident via other visa programs that do not require one to be a skilled worker.
Now, sit back and keep your focus on this article because we are going to unveil the visa gateways that can enable you to migrate to Australia without a skilled occupation.
Is It Easy To Migrate To Australia Without A Skilled Occupation?
It’s not easy to migrate to Australia without a skilled occupation. There are other options one can consider such as family sponsorship, investment visas, working holidays, and student pathways.
However, these have high financial requirements, eligibility requirements, or temporary restrictions. To successfully navigate these unskilled paths they must be patient and adaptable.
What Visa Options Can I Use To Migrate To Australia Without A Skilled Occupation?
1. Family Sponsorship Visas
Among these visas are family visas that allow Australian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their relatives for permanent migration. Some of these family visas include:
A. Partner Visa: For spouses or de facto partners of Australian citizens/permanent residents. This is a permanent residence from day one.
B. Parent Visa: These allow aged parents living outside Australia but with their children in the country as either PRs or citizens, migrate to Aus for care purposes;
C. Child Visa: Here children under 25 years can move along with family members where either parent is eligible.
Others Include Other Family Visas e.g., remaining relatives like aged dependent relatives, carers for remaining relatives, and parents themselves under exceptional circumstances.
This may be the easiest route because depending on whether you have an eligible relative in Australia ready and able to bring you over here.
While exploring visa options to migrate to Australia without a skilled occupation, the partner visa has become one of the most used migration visas with many new immigrants joining existing Australian partners annually. However, it must be supported by documentary evidence confirming its genuineness,
2. Investment and Business Visas
For investors having significant capital at their disposal, there are investment and business innovation visas that generally do not require applicants to possess skilled employment backgrounds. The main ones are:
A. Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa (subclass 188): Permitting non-Australians to own and manage new or existing businesses in Australia.
If required criteria regarding turnover of a business and its assets are met, after few years under this provisional visa, permanent residence may be granted to visa holders.
B. Investor Visa (subclass 891): These can be approved for applicants who also satisfy an asset test through investing not less than AUD 1.5 million in a designated investment in Oz for at least four years.
C. Significant Investor Visa (subclass 888): High net worth individuals must have a minimum of AUD 5 million invested for at least 4 years into approved investments such as registered managed funds that meet certain threshold requirements.
3. Work and Holiday Visa
For young people aged either between 18-30 or 35 years depending on nationality, the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) could provide access to Australia.
Although it does not lead straight to citizenship on its own, this visa valid for one year allows people to travel and work in Australia by way of short-term job contracts.
In the course of this year, some individuals find themselves eventually having skilled work sponsors or partners that could potentially translate into longer skilled work visas or partner visas later on. If you are not eligible for other long-term visas at once, it is a good way to start.
4. Student Visas
Another common means for individuals to migrate to Australia without a skilled occupation is through a student visa.
International students can apply for a Student visa (subclass 500) which will enable them live in Australia temporarily until the completion of their course if they enroll in an acceptable course.
Many times after graduating from school, students may be able to obtain a post-study work visa that allows them to stay a little longer and gain some experience working.
After several years it would have given a chance to get involved with other options on permanent skilled immigration as well.
Therefore some enterprising learners might choose to begin learning in order for them to easily fit into Australian society over time despite being unskilled initially.
5. State and Territory Migration
Lastly, let’s not forget that Australia’s states and territories also have their independent immigration programs apart from the national system.
The majority of states/territories have specific requirements that govern different streams of skill works and business investments. Some also offer broader regional visa schemes aimed at attracting more immigrants away from major cities helping regional economies grow by example:
- Pathways through State-Nominated Skilled Visas
- Business and Investment Attraction Programs
- Regional Sponsored Migration Schemes
- State/Territory Sponsored Skilled Work Regional Visas
These sub-national programs provide alternative routes; although their terms may differ from those of occupational lists used nationally for selecting migrants based on their skills.
However, the criteria to nominate or sponsor migrants for permanent and temporary residency may be set by local governments and institutions more flexibly.
Therefore, it is worth exploring these regional programs since other opportunities may exist that are not only limited to nationally recognized skilled occupations.
Conclusion
You can migrate to Australia without a skilled work visa by exploring any of the options that were outlined above. One must do thorough research to understand all that these programs entail. It might just be possible that through determination, program attention, detailed applications, and innovative thinking around different angles, you may find an immigration solution that suits your profile and personal circumstances.